NBA Southwest

Brandon Ingram was not about to let the New Orleans Pelicans lose for a third time in a row.

Ingram out-clutched DeMar DeRozan and led the Pelicans to a 115-111 road victory on Thursday at the United Center. New Orleans improved to 6-5 on the season and snapped its two-game losing streak thanks in large part to the forward's efforts down the stretch.

The final two minutes unfolded as a showdown between DeRozan and Ingram—with the Pels up 104-103—with the following sequence:

• DeRozan layup puts Bulls ahead by one
• Ingram midrange jumper puts Pelicans ahead by one
• DeRozan free throws put Bulls ahead by one
• Ingram three-pointer puts Pelicans ahead by two
• DeRozan dunk ties it
• Ingram midrange jumper puts Pelicans ahead by two

New Orleans finally got a defensive stop from there and was able to ice the win away on the free-throw line.

That type of performance also earned Ingram plenty of love on social media:

B.I IS A STAR OH MYYYY!!!!! ⭐️@PelicansNBA | #Pelicans |📺:BSNO pic.twitter.com/NfvHEsoQFf

— Local Sports New Orleans (@BallySportsNO) November 10, 2022

Brandon Ingram grabbed this game by the hand and said, “Come with me.”

— John DeShazier (@JohnDeShazier) November 10, 2022

Brandon Ingram in the final 5:07 of the 4th quarter:

14 points on 5/6 shooting

— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) November 10, 2022

This game is NUTS. Ingram and DeRozan are fantastic. Just superb bucket getting

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) November 10, 2022

DeMar DeRozan and Brandon Ingram trading absolute haymakers

— Rob Schaefer (@rob_schaef) November 10, 2022

14 lead changes and 19 ties in pelicans-bulls feels...low tbh

— Dan Favale (@danfavale) November 10, 2022

Brandon Ingram (and Zion) won this one for the Pelicans in the 4th quarter. Great job by the Pelicans to gut out the victory despite a lot of not great things. The W counts all the same

— Jake Madison (@NOLAJake) November 10, 2022

Brandon Ingram is a star. Gotta love the way he closed this game.

— Raheem Palmer (@iamrahstradamus) November 10, 2022

Brandon Ingram has 14 points since the clock hit the 5:07 mark of the 4th quarter.

Pelicans lead 112-109 with 18.7 seconds left. Bulls have the ball and a chance.

— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) November 10, 2022

That'll do it

Brandon Ingram absolutely torched the Bulls down the stretch as the Pelicans win 115-111

This Pelicans team is awesome. Bulls will face them again next Wednesday

— Will Gottlieb (@Will_Gottlieb) November 10, 2022

Ingram finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and three assists in the win, but it wasn't a solo effort for the entire game. Jonas Valančiūnas' double-double (21 points and 13 rebounds) and Zion Williamson's secondary scoring (19 points) helped set the stage for the dramatic finish.

But Ingram proving that he can take on fellow stars in crunch time and come out on top is key for the Pelicans if they are going to compete as legitimate Western Conference threats this season.

Williamson is excellent, but it is going to take more than just his individual brilliance in the frontcourt for the team to challenge come playoff time.

Ingram will look to build on his performance when New Orleans takes on the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday.

Throughout his NBA career, New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has been criticized for his weight, and the 22-year-old discussed last week how he has been affected by it.

Williamson told Melissa Rohlin of Fox Sports that not enough consideration was given to the fact that he was recovering from foot surgery, which caused him to miss the 2021-22 season.

"That's nasty because with a lower-body injury, that dictates how you walk, that dictates how you run, how you do everyday activities and how you move," Williamson said. "For the world to critique me like that and all I was trying to do was make sure my foot was straight? It was a lot. I'm not going to lie to you—it was a lot."

Williamson also said he doesn't think the critics considered how their words could affect him.

"What people don't understand is, even the writers and stuff, if they have children of their own, imagine if somebody talked about their child how they spoke about me," he said. "Critiquing my body, critiquing how I look. Every time they talked about me, it was about weight, how bad I looked. I don't even think they realized what kind of impact that can have on you."

A 6'6" power forward with one of the most unique skill sets in the league, Williamson is listed at 284 pounds. When he was recovering from surgery, his weight ballooned after a regression in the bone healing forced him to discontinue his rehabilitation.

Many speculated the Duke product had a poor work ethic. The talk surrounding Williamson became so bad that even his mother and stepfather began questioning his routine.

"I was like: 'Y'all relax. Hearing it from y'all doesn't help me, and it makes it worse for me as a matter of fact,'" Williamson said. "So, when I broke it down like that, they understood. Once my foot heals, I'll get back on track."

To prepare for his return, Williamson trained with sports medicine and performance specialist Jasper Bibbs. He also hired a personal chef, Jhonas Lewis, to make all his food from July through September.

"I don't know if I'm supposed to say the number, but I will say this: [He lost] well over 35 pounds, for sure," Lewis said. "We were dropping almost 7-9 pounds a week. By the third week, he started seeing the results. You couldn't pay Zion to put his shirt on."

Williamson leads the Pelicans (5-4) with 22.7 points per game in seven appearances this season, as he sat out two games with a hip injury. He's expected to be in the lineup when New Orleans visits the Indiana Pacers (4-5) on Monday night.

Zion Williamson is averaging a solid 22.7 points per game this season, all after missing the 2021-22 campaign, but he's doing it entirely at the basket.

According to The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor, Williamson hasn't attempted a shot further than eight feet from the rim. But for now, the young superstar is hesitant to mess with a good thing.

"It's a mental thing for me," Williamson told O'Connor about his reluctance to shoot from the perimeter. "I can shoot the faders; I can shoot the middies; I can shoot the threes. But in the game, I'm such a perfectionist. I'm so locked in that mindset that the best shot is the closest shot to the basket. I feel like when I get to the basket at will, if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

It isn't "broke," but it isn't ideal, either. The Pelicans are 5-4, and Williamson extending his range would make him even harder to defend. He's proved he can do it in the past, shooting 42.9 percent from three as a rookie, though that nosedived to 29.4 percent in his sophomore campaign.

This isn't a Ben Simmons situation for New Orleans—Williamson still aggressively attacks the basket, attempting 18 shots per game—but it will be a limitation to his game if he doesn't push past his current mental block.

"[Assistant coach Teresa Weatherspoon and player development coach Corey Brewer] help me break that mental block," he told O'Connor about working with the pair on his shooting during practices. "It's just a matter of shooting it and being OK with it if I miss it."

New Orleans Pelicans guard and players association president CJ McCollum condemned antisemitism while discussing the recent events surrounding Kyrie Irving.

"It's safe to say that we know that Kyrie and all of us—me specifically, I can speak for myself—specifically condemn antisemitism in any form," McCollum said, per ESPN's Andrew Lopez. "I am specifically against it. I specifically believe in promoting equality, diversity of inclusion."

Irving promoted an antisemitic film on social media before failing to say he did not have antisemitic beliefs in an ensuing interview. The Brooklyn Nets suspended him for a minimum of five games and provided a checklist he must complete before reinstatement:

Sources: Nets have delivered Kyrie Irving six items he must complete to return to team:

- Apologize/condemn movie
- $500K donation to anti-hate causes
- Sensitivity training
- Antisemitic training
- Meet with ADL, Jewish leaders
- Meet with Joe Tsai to demonstrate understanding

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 6, 2022

Irving has since apologized on Instagram:

While doing research on YHWH, I posted a Documentary that contained some false anti-Semitic statements, narratives, and language that were untrue and offensive to the Jewish Race/Religion, and I take full accountability and responsibly for my actions. I am grateful to have a big platform to share knowledge and I want to move forward by having an open dialogue to learn more and grow from this.

McCollum said it was important for Irving to apologize and use the situation as a learning experience:

"He's displayed empathy now. I think this is a learning experience in which I don't think he understood the magnitude of the movie because he didn't watch it. I don't think he understood the magnitude of the people that were affected, how they were impacted and how fast hate can spread and how this can snowball."

McCollum's words could be impactful as a veteran leader in the league, especially with few others speaking out against Irving's actions.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James also said Irving "caused some harm to a lot of people."

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said the team will look into allegations made by point guard Spencer Dinwiddie against longtime NBA referee Tony Brothers during Friday night's game against the Toronto Raptors.

Dinwiddie alleged an unnamed teammate said Brothers called him a "b---h ass motherf--ker" while discussing a technical foul in the second quarter, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon.

"That's tough. I have to talk to Spencer," Kidd said. "When you look at Tony and what he's done in this league, he's well-liked and also one of the best that we have. We're going to see what happened here and talk to Spencer and find out exactly what happened. That's a sensitive topic. We'll see what happens."

Dinwiddie was called for a take foul with less than a minute left in the first half and protested the call to Brothers, saying he may have used a curse word but not in a derogatory manner toward the veteran ref, per MacMahon.

"Everybody's a competitor out there," Dinwiddie said. "I understand it's the heat of the moment. I've definitely said swear words, but like, if I was playing against somebody on the other team and they said that to my teammate, I would be like listen, 'Hey, I'm right here.' But because obviously [referees are in] positions of authority and whatnot, you can't necessarily ask for that address, so I'm just taking my fair stance and saying, 'Hey, look, if you feel that way, fine by me, just say it to my face, like any other grown man.' That's all I want. I'm not even mad at the language. Everybody has said things before when they are upset or feeling sensitive or hurt. That's fine. Just say it to my face."

The 29-year-old Los Angeles native also apologized to Brothers for the exchange and requested the fine money issued for technical fouls be rescinded in this case.

"I apologize to Tony Brothers for what seemed to keep him irate, which was a clap," Dinwiddie said. "He thought it was disrespectful. If you watch the games, and I know that's what refs are supposed to do, you see I clap to get the attention of my teammates, things of that nature, but it was nothing personal, so as a man, I would like to say I'm sorry first and foremost. And secondarily I would like to say, not only would I like my [fine] money back, but I would like to not be called a b---h ass motherf--ker to my teammates."

Dinwiddie finished the game, tallying 21 points, seven assists, two steals and a rebound in a team-high 38 minutes as part of the Mavs' 111-110 win over the Raptors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe_aN6t9K90

Brothers was not made available for comment after the game despite a pool-reporter request, per MacMahon.

He's working his 29th season as an NBA official after starting his career in 1994. His accolades include refereeing 174 playoff games, including 15 in the NBA Finals.

Brothers is not scheduled to work any of Saturday's eight games.

Dinwiddie and the Mavs are back in action Monday night when they host the Brooklyn Nets at the American Airlines Center.

Former San Antonio Spurs guard Josh Primo is the subject of a criminal investigation after allegedly exposing himself to a former team psychologist on multiple occasions.

According to Mike Vorkunov and Shams Charania of The Athletic, Primo is being investigated by the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, which serves the San Antonio metropolitan area.

The Spurs released Primo last week amid allegations from former team psychologist Dr. Hillary Cauthen that he exposed his genitals to her on nine occasions.

Per ESPN's Tim MacMahon, Cauthen filed a lawsuit against Primo and the Spurs, alleging that the organization ignored numerous reports of Primo exposing himself to her.

Cauthen, who was hired by the Spurs in April 2021, said that Primo first exposed himself to her in December 2021. She said she reported it to the Spurs in January 2022, but the organization did nothing, and Primo exposed himself several more times.

In August 2022, Cauthen's contract with the Spurs expired, and she was not signed to a new deal.

Primo's attorney, William J. Briggs II, called Cauthen's allegations "a complete fabrication, a gross embellishment or utter fantasy." Briggs also said Primo was unaware that his genitals were visible underneath his workout shorts, and that Cauthen never told Primo there was an issue.

Spurs CEO RC Buford added that the organization disagrees "with the accuracy of facts, details and timeline presented" in the lawsuit.

Cauthen's attorney, Tony Buzbee, said Primo's "conduct is well outside of the bounds of what is normal and acceptable," before adding that the Spurs were "egregious and absolutely unreasonable" in their handling of Cauthen's allegations.

In releasing Primo last week, the Spurs said in a statement that they were doing so in the "best interest of both the organization and Joshua."

Primo, 19, is a native of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, who played his college basketball at Alabama before the Spurs selected him 12th overall in the 2021 NBA draft.

As a rookie last season, Primo appeared in 50 games and averaged 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists, while shooting 37.4 percent from the field.

Before his release, Primo played in four games this season, averaging 7.0 points, 4.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds. He seemed poised for a much bigger role in his second season, averaging 23.3 minutes per game, compared to 19.3 as a rookie.

Former San Antonio Spurs psychologist Hillary Cauthen will file a criminal complaint accusing Joshua Primo of exposing himself to her nine times beginning in December 2021, per Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.

Cauthen has also filed a lawsuit against both Primo and the Spurs.

According to the lawsuit, Cauthen met with Spurs general manager Brian Wright in March to discuss her accusations against Primo, but "nothing was done about Primo's behavior," per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.

Head coach Gregg Popovich reportedly "was aware of her complaints and accusations" and Cauthen was told by the team's general counsel and head of human resources that Popovich "wanted to do right by her," per Charania.

Primo's attorney denied the allegations in a statement Thursday:

Statement from Josh Primo’s attorney, William J. Briggs, II: pic.twitter.com/V6IxRvoOLM

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 3, 2022

Spurs CEO RC Buford released a statement:

Statement from Spurs S&E CEO RC Buford: pic.twitter.com/vZDdiRHhLZ

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 3, 2022

The Spurs waived Primo in October just four games into the 2022-23 season.

In a statement after his release, Primo said he would focus on his mental health to help deal with previous trauma:

Josh Primo statement to ESPN in the aftermath of his release from the Spurs tonight: pic.twitter.com/H1n3k3IIcn

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 29, 2022

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski later reported the release stemmed from "multiple alleged instances of him exposing himself to women."

Primo went unclaimed on waivers, although Wojnarowski reported several NBA teams have "significant interest" and will monitor the situation.

The 19-year-old was the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft out of Alabama. He averaged 5.8 points and 2.3 rebounds per game in 50 appearances last season.

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd praised point guard Luka Dončić for "carrying the team" after scoring over 30 points in each of the season's first seven games.

Dončić poured in 33 points during Wednesday's 103-100 victory over the Utah Jazz, which brought his scoring average to a league-leading 36.1, which is the third-highest mark through seven games in the NBA over the past 60 years behind only Michael Jordan (37.0 in 1986-87) and James Harden (36.6 in 2019-20), per ESPN's Tim MacMahon.

"That's rare air and we get to see that on a nightly basis," Kidd said. "That's pretty cool. A 23-year-old kid that is playing on this level is really, really special to see. He can do it in so many ways, when you talk about posting up or getting to the basket, shooting the three or shooting that little step back. It's really cool to watch, and it just shows the focus that he has right now."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI9Hyq6JDf4

Scoring at least 30 points in seven straight games to open a season has only been accomplished by two other players: Wilt Chamberlain, who did it twice, and Jack Twyman, per MacMahon.

Dončić's impact goes far beyond his point totals, too. He's also averaging 9.0 assists (fifth in the NBA), 8.9 rebounds (22nd) and 1.7 steals (11th) while shooting a career-best 51.4 percent from the field.

"I'm trying to win games," the early MVP front-runner told reporters after Wednesday's win. "The player that scores more, you're going to win the game. I think today was one of the best games that I've played. Not forcing a lot. Sharing the ball."

It's hard to overstate his value to the Mavs. He's led the team in points and assists in all seven games so far, and he's also paced the team in rebounds four times.

Dallas hasn't been able to fully capitalize on that terrific play with a modest 4-3 record, but its three losses are by just 10 combined points, which is a promising.

"Amazing, but I'm not surprised," Mavs guard Spencer Dinwiddie said about Dončić's play. "Luka's a savant in every sense of the word as it applies to basketball. Nothing shocks me. Obviously, he's young and the best is yet to come. I think he's going to set a lot of records for the Mavs and be in the conversation with the greats."

Dončić will attempt to keep his hot start alive Friday night when the Mavericks welcome the Toronto Raptors (5-3) to the American Airlines Center.

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson is expected to return to the lineup Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers after missing the last two games with a hip injury, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Williamson experienced a hard fall to the court in New Orleans' 122-121 overtime defeat to the Utah Jazz on Oct. 23. Jordan Clarkson blocked his dunk attempt, and he wound up landing on his back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JSzNL4yHY0

The Pelicans announced he suffered a posterior hip contusion, which was serious enough to knock him out of their next two games.

After missing the entire 2021-22 season, the 22-year-old didn't take long to remind fans why he's such a heavily hyped talent. He posted 25 points, nine rebounds, three assists and four steals in a 130-108 victory over the Brooklyn Nets to open the campaign.

Williamson is critical to New Orleans' hopes of not just returning to the playoffs but also improving upon its first-round exit from last season. His long-term importance to the franchise also requires carefully managing his workload in the short term given how much time he has missed because of injuries.

Missing Williamson for a game or two every once in a while shouldn't be a big blow for the Pelicans as long as those absences don't begin to add up.

Former San Antonio Spurs guard Joshua Primo was unexpectedly released by the franchise on Friday, and we now have more details on the decision.

The Spurs opted to release the 19-year-old because he allegedly exposed himself to women on several occasions, according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski.

Shelburne and Wojnarowski added:

"Many NBA teams remain intrigued with Primo's talent and potential, but are searching for a more complete understanding of the situation as they weigh the possibility of placing a claim to acquire Primo before he clears waivers and becomes a free agent Monday afternoon, sources said."

Sources: A former Spurs female employee has alleged that guard Josh Primo exposed himself to her, and she has hired attorney Tony Buzbee.

Buzbee represented the women in the sexual misconduct lawsuits against NFL QB Deshaun Watson.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 29, 2022

Primo recently had his $4.3 million third-year option for the 2023-24 campaign picked up by the Spurs before he was released.

The second-year guard was the youngest player selected in the 2021 NBA draft when the Spurs picked him 12th overall out of Alabama. He averaged 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 50 games (16 starts) during his rookie season.

Primo had also played in San Antonio's first four games of the 2022-23 campaign, averaging 7.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists off the bench. He was left out of the lineup in Wednesday's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves and was released before Friday's win over the Chicago Bulls.

"It is our hope that, in the long run, this decision will serve the best interest of both the organization and Joshua," Spurs Sports and Entertainment CEO RC Buford said in a statement.

Shortly after being released, Primo released a statement to ESPN on the situation:

"I know that you all are surprised by today's announcement. I've been seeking help to deal with previous trauma I suffered and will now take this time to focus on my mental health treatment more fully. I hope to be able to discuss these issues in the future so I can help others who have suffered in a similar way. I appreciate privacy at this time."

The Spurs are 4-2 and are back in action against the Timberwolves on Sunday.